Dwayne Goodrich
Encyclopedia
Dwayne Lewis Goodrich is a former American football
cornerback
for the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
(NFL). He played college football
at Tennessee
and was drafted
by the Cowboys in the second round (49th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft
.
Goodrich was released from prison on October 5, 2011 , after serving 8 years due to his conviction of two counts of criminally negligent homicide.
in Oak Lawn. He was an All-America
n at defensive back
, while also running track. He was a three year starter for the Vols, earning a spot as captain during his senior season in 1999. Goodrich became noteworthy after the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. He was assigned to cover Florida State
wide receiver
Peter Warrick
. In the second quarter of that game, Goodrich intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The play helped Tennessee
win the game and the National Championship. Goodrich was the defensive MVP of the game.
by the Dallas Cowboys
. He played for the Cowboys from 2000-2002.
accident that killed two people. On January 15, he was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter in relation to the accident. Police believed that Goodrich struck and killed two motorists who were trying to rescue a man from a burning car on a North Dallas freeway. Though witnesses claimed Goodrich was going 100 mph, the state's accident reconstruction expert at trial estimated that Goodrich's car struck the victims and driver door of the wreckage at a considerably lower speed of 54 mph.
On September 8, 2003 he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and fined $
20,000 for the accident. He was convicted on two counts of criminally negligent homicide.
On January 9, 2006, prosecutors and relatives of the deceased victims successfully sought to add five years to his original 7 ½-year prison sentence. In court proceedings on January 9, 2006, in Dallas, the sole surviving victim of the January 2003 accident, Shuki Josef, requested permission to approach Goodrich to shake his hand. The gesture resulted in an emotion-filled embrace between the two men as Josef publicly acknowledged forgiveness and stated he harbored no ill will for Goodrich by saying, "I forgive you...I'm sorry for you."
During trial, Goodrich was not proven to have been intoxicated at the time of the incident. Goodrich lost his brother Walter to a motorcycle accident in 2004.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
and was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Cowboys in the second round (49th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
.
Goodrich was released from prison on October 5, 2011 , after serving 8 years due to his conviction of two counts of criminally negligent homicide.
High school and college career
Goodrich came to Tennessee from Harold L. Richards High SchoolHarold L. Richards High School
Harold L. Richards High School is a co-ed public high school located in Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and is a member of Illinois school district 218. The current enrollment is over 1,876 students. The school mascot is the bulldog. The school colors are Gold, Black, and White...
in Oak Lawn. He was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n at defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, while also running track. He was a three year starter for the Vols, earning a spot as captain during his senior season in 1999. Goodrich became noteworthy after the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. He was assigned to cover Florida State
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Peter Warrick
Peter Warrick
Peter Warrick is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals fourth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
. In the second quarter of that game, Goodrich intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The play helped Tennessee
1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. Tennessee entered the 1998 season coming off an 11–2 record in 1997...
win the game and the National Championship. Goodrich was the defensive MVP of the game.
Professional career
Goodrich was drafted in the second round (49th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He played for the Cowboys from 2000-2002.
Legal issues
On January 14, 2003, Goodrich was involved in a hit and runHit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
accident that killed two people. On January 15, he was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter in relation to the accident. Police believed that Goodrich struck and killed two motorists who were trying to rescue a man from a burning car on a North Dallas freeway. Though witnesses claimed Goodrich was going 100 mph, the state's accident reconstruction expert at trial estimated that Goodrich's car struck the victims and driver door of the wreckage at a considerably lower speed of 54 mph.
On September 8, 2003 he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and fined $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
20,000 for the accident. He was convicted on two counts of criminally negligent homicide.
On January 9, 2006, prosecutors and relatives of the deceased victims successfully sought to add five years to his original 7 ½-year prison sentence. In court proceedings on January 9, 2006, in Dallas, the sole surviving victim of the January 2003 accident, Shuki Josef, requested permission to approach Goodrich to shake his hand. The gesture resulted in an emotion-filled embrace between the two men as Josef publicly acknowledged forgiveness and stated he harbored no ill will for Goodrich by saying, "I forgive you...I'm sorry for you."
During trial, Goodrich was not proven to have been intoxicated at the time of the incident. Goodrich lost his brother Walter to a motorcycle accident in 2004.
External links
- Player profile at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/011006dnmetgoodrich.5ee6388b.html